1. Rage Against The Machine

The Battle of Los Angeles

Epic

It may be too early to predict, but this pulverizing mix of hard rock and rap, loaded with political conviction, could be setting the stage for the sound of the new Millennium. The set kicks in immediately with the devastating “Testify,” a scorching blast at the news media's attempts to soft-sell war and other atrocities as mainstream entertainment. Straying far from the typical lightweight mutterings of the moment, singer Zack de la Rocha and his mates turn in a series of heavily politicized tales focusing on everything from downtrodden Mexican peasants and unemployed factory workers to corrupt landlords, deviant clergy members, and jailed Black Panthers.